Chartmeister Music Publishing

Instructions to acquire permission to have an arrangement written and/or purchase charts from our library.

The first step is to contact the current publisher of the original composition, who is not necessarily the copyright owner. Many of the original publishers have been bought up by powerhouses such as Hal Leonard and Alfred’s. How does one fined who owns the rights to a composition, and/or if it is public domain? You can use the following online databases to find publisher information: www.ascap.com www.bmi.com www.sesac.com www.loc.gov Regarding public domain, please contact the U.S. Copyright Office at (202)707-6850. If the music is public domain, your search has ended and you can proceed having the arrangement written without acquiring any rights. The second step is having permission granted from the publisher. You will be required to file an application stating the nature of the arrangement, costs, etc. In most cases you will the signatures of all arrangers (wind, percussion) involved in the new chart as well. Usually there is a fee, and stipulations vary from organization to organization. If you are not granted permission to arrange/purchase, W. Roy Mitchell and Chartmeister Music Publishing cannot write or sell you the arrangement in question. This stipulation is in place to protect al involved Once an arrangement is written, it becomes the property of the publisher. Chartmeister Music Publishing retains a copy of the arrangement for future sales (with permission). If you plan to record the arrangement and/or broadcast it over public airwaves, a mechanical license is needed. For more information contact: The Harry Fox Agency, Inc 711 3rd Avenue, 8th Floor New York, NY 10017 Phone: (212)834-0100 Fax: (646)487-6779 There are also several services that can be found on the internet that do all the work for you. One such example is www.copycatlicensing.com . If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us and we will offer assistance. Remember, copyright law is a very serious matter and it is highly suggest you abide by it. We reserve the right to see all permission forms before any transactions occur. W. Roy Mitchell and Chartmeister Music Publishing will NOT be held liable for rights not acquired by the client. We trust this will help you and look forward to serving your musical needs.